


Focus

by hopeless_romantic_spoonie, yespolkadot_kitty



Series: As You Are [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Disabled Reader, F/M, Fluff, disabled, spoonie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 15:42:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20566820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopeless_romantic_spoonie/pseuds/hopeless_romantic_spoonie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yespolkadot_kitty/pseuds/yespolkadot_kitty
Summary: Reader gets more and more frustrated working at Stark Tower, thanks to a bit of smothering concern.





	Focus

**Author's Note:**

> Co-authored by the lovely yespolkadot_kitty, who keeps me from making Loki too fluffy and out of character!

“Need anything, Spoons?”

You lifted your head from where it was bent over in front of the computer, rolling the stiff muscles in your neck to see Tony standing at the door to the server room. His eyebrows were pulled together in worry, and a faint frown ghosted on his lips.

You shot him a quick smile and shook your head before returning your attention to the screen in front of you, intent upon not losing your train of thought. “Nope, I‘m good, Boss man.”

It was more difficult to work in the Tower, for several reasons. Besides having to remain in one spot for several hours, which was murder on your back, Tony and the rest of the Avengers usually thought it best to check on you periodically. It was sweet, but it was distracting, and you were struggling to maintain your focus as it was with your pain levels slowly climbing the longer you spent hunched over in that chair. It was meant to be ergonomic, but that only went so far.

Damn your internet for dying when it did.

Your eyes were bloodshot by the time Tony came around again, leaning against the doorframe and poking his head inside, rapping his knuckles against the metal loudly.

“What, Tony?” you asked, a hint of venom creeping into your tone, born of frustration and pain. If looks could kill, he would’ve been dead hours ago.

He arched a brow at your tone. “You need to eat something, Dorothy. Click those heels together and take a break.”

“I’m fine,” you snapped, even as your back twinged and made your face twist into a wince that was there and gone in an instant. “I just want to get this done as quickly as possible.”

Tony raised his hands placatingly and backed out of the room.

You weren’t sure how much time had passed, but your muscles were alternating between sharp spasms and breathtaking cramps by the time Tony strolled into the room, followed by Loki. You shot them both a glance, taking in the obvious concern on Tony’s face and the practiced boredom on Loki’s, before going back to your work, tapping your foot on the floor as you did.

You were _so close_.

“Tell her that she needs to go home,” Tony commanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Loki arched a black brow at the command, tilting his head to the side. “You forget yourself. You do not control me, Stark.” His expression softened just a bit when he took you in, drawing over your body slowly before settling back on your face, where he found your cheeks flushed, your eyes bloodshot, your mouth set into a firm line and a permanent crease having formed in between your drawn brows.

Genuine concern tugged the corners of his lips downward as he mimicked Tony’s pose, but lazily against the wall opposite you. “Do you need help, kitten?”

You balked at the nickname, but set your face into a look of pure determination after letting that settle for a second. “Nope, I’m almost done here. I’m good.”

Loki waved his hand at you in a flourish, looking at Tony exasperatedly. “Listen to her. She claims to be fine, so trust that. Are there more pointless errands you wish for me to perform, or are we finished?”

Tony grumbled under his breath, shooting both of you a look before practically stomping out of the room.

You sent a grateful smile Loki’s way, but it was brief and didn’t reach your eyes. “Thanks. I’d have been done thirty minutes ago if he hadn’t come in here every ten minutes checking up on me. It interrupts my focus."

His long strides ate up the distance between you quickly, and he folded himself into a chair on the other side of the desk, his long legs spread and arms supported by the armrests. It wasn’t fair that he could be so damned graceful and regal while doing something so simple. The thought made a blush stain your cheeks, and you captured your bottom lip in between your teeth at the foolishness of the thought. He said nothing, simply observed you, and eventually you stopped watching him from the corner of your eye so that you could get finished up and go home to your duvet nest and muscle relaxers.

“Done! Thank goodness,” you sighed, sitting back in the chair with a light groan. You had pushed it too far, you knew that, but your stubborn will had kept you here until the job was done. The payment tomorrow for such an idiotic move would be steep, but that was a worry for future you to manage. You glanced at the clock and inwardly reeled at the time. It was late, much later than you thought, and Loki really should have gone home already.

So should you, but that was beside the point.

“Plans tonight?” you asked conversationally, bracing yourself on the desk with rigid arms as you raised yourself to a standing position, swallowing the groan that wanted to come from deep within you at the stiff pain throbbing in your entire body.

Loki rose as well, watching you with piercing emerald eyes that missed nothing. “Ensuring that you return to your home safely.”

A huff of indignation fluttered your lips. You cursed yourself for forgetting your cane at home - going without it would make the journey on public transportation that much more daunting. Maybe you could slyly support yourself with the metal desk beneath you? “I’m good here, just a little slow. You go home and I’ll see you the next time you come ‘round to critique my TV show choices.”

But if anyone besides you was stubborn, it was Loki. He didn’t hover over you, but he remained close by as you took slow, excruciating steps from the room. When your knee buckled, _damn nerve damage_, he swooped in to hold you up before tucking your hand into the crook of his elbow as if you were an old couple going on a stroll.

It felt nice, being this close to him. He smelled lovely and familiar, and his arm was firm beneath your touch.

“Tony didn’t notice,” you grumbled childishly, referring to your weakened steps, “at least not enough to push it. You don’t _have_ to help me, you know.”

“That overgrown man child can hardly tell his backside from his face. Little wonder he has no idea as to your true physical state that you so poorly attempted to hide,” Loki replied, tilting his sharp chin down to you as you both stepped into the elevator. He leveled you with the intensity of his concerned gaze. “Did it ever occur to you that having me around might prove optimal to your health?”

Self-sufficiency reared its stubborn head inside of you, forcing you to square your shoulders against the pain. “No, because I can do things on my own.”

He nodded and squeezed your hand tighter to him for just a moment. “You absolutely _can, _kitten, but you do not _have_ to.”

Your heart melted, just a little. If he kept this up, a tiny piece of it would break off and be lost to him forever.

"Besides," he added, "I find that I would be most entertained by critiquing the next episode of One Hundred Percent Hotter. Those people have little to no idea about maths."

You laughed, and the levity helped ease the pain a bit. "Take me home."


End file.
